Territory



- (No Model.)

T. H. MALEY. CARPET STRETGHER.

No. 407,540. Patented July 23, 1889.

WITNESSES.-

} ATM/M578.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS HENRY MALEY, OF ANDOVER, DAKOTA TERRITORY.

CARPET-STRETCHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 407,540, dated July 23, 1889.

Application filed September 24, 1888. Serial No. 286,146. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS HENRY MALEY,

of Andover, in the county of Day and Territory of Dakota, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Ca-rpet-Stretchers, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention consists in a carpet-stretching device of novel construction, substantially as hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claim, whereby not only cheapness is combined with durability, but great facility of adjustment is secured to suit different sized or shaped rooms, and the stretching-head of the device may be turned to stretch the carpet more in the direction in which the tacking down of the carpet is progressing, and the whole be conveniently operated by the person engaged in the tacking down without his or her standing on the portion of the carpet being stretched.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 represents a plan view .of my improved carpet-stretcher as when in use upon a carpet on the floor of a room, shown only in part. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same in direction of the length of the stretcher upon the line a: m in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section upon the line y y in Fig. 2, and Fig. at is a further vertical transverse section upon the line z z in Fig. 2.

A is the body-piece of the stretcher, made of a strip of wood having a vertical longitudinal slot 1) in it to receive within or through its out-er end portion, in crossing relation with each other when the device is being used, a second strip or stick B, and also to receive within it, near the back end of the slot 12, a further stick or strip 0, which is loosely pivoted to the body-piece A at c, and which, in connection with a handle extension-piece O, adjust-able by means of a slot d and thumbscrews 6, forms the operating-lever of the device.

The stick or strip B is approximately of the same length as the body-piece A, only narrower to adapt it to pass freely through the slot 1). It is loosely connected near its one end with the body-piece A by a pin or bolt f, passed through any one of a series of holes g in both the pieces A and B, according to the adjustment required, and said stick or strip B has pivoted to it at its outer or opposite and lower end by a single pin or bolt h the stretching toothed head or comb D,which may be a simple piece of wood armed with wiresz' or teeth of any suitable construction. This stretching comb or toothed head catches into the carpet E near where the latter is being nailed or tacked down, and by its pivot-pin h it is free to be set at different angles, or in such relation with the edge of the carpet being tacked as to stretch the carpet in the direct-ion in which the nailing or tacking is progressing.

The body piece or strip A is provided with a lower or outer extension-piece A, adjustable by a slot 10 and thumb-screws l to adapt the stretcher to rooms larger than that for which it would be ordinarily suitable, and its outer or lower end may be tipped with rubber or other soft material m to prevent it marring the base-board G when pressing against it. The holes g in the strips A and B, through which the pin or bolt f freely passes, provide in a general way for shortening or extending the stretcher.

H is a metal or other stirrup, which hangs by its larger or upper end on the strips A and J B, where they cross each other when secured together, and the lower end of which serves to admit through it and support the lever O.

I is a ratchet-like rack attached to the strip B, and which serves by the engagement of the lever C or its extension G with it to hold said lever down When the stretcher is in operation or after a stretch has been taken on the carpet to hold the latter secure for tacking, the stretching of the carpet being made by bearing down on the handle end or portion of the lever.

The operating-lever can be readily manipulated by the person engaged in tacking down the carpet and without his or her standing upon the portion of the carpet being stretched or changing position, whereby the carpet is free to be stretched asrequired, and the work generally is facilitated without any risk of injuring the Wall, floor, or base-board of the room.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Let- 5 t ers Patent The combination, with the slotted body piece or pieces A A and crossing-strip B, adjust-ably and pivotally connected with each other, as described, of the pivoted stretching comb or toothed head D, the lever 0 0, the 10 stirrup II, and the rock I, essentially as herein set forth.

THOMAS HENRY MALEY. Witnesses:

TALKER PERRINE, GEO. E. BRYANT. 

